Reviews > CDs

The idea of psychedelic music within the last half century has expanded greatly. And in 2017, its concept has shifted closer to the concept of Sigur Ros than Soft Machine. Especially in the city of Gdansk, Poland, where everything you’ve held true about electric tripping has been turned on its ear by the band called Trupa Trupa. Led by singer and guitarist, Grzegorz Kwiatkowski, an award-winning poet in his homeland, this underrated group takes some serious high wire risks on their excellent second LP, cheekily called Jolly New Songs. The music across these glacial 11 tracks, however, are hardly the schlager its title suggests. In fact, you’d have to look to acts like Julian Cope and Egyptians-era Robyn Hitchcock if you want a taste of the madcap macabre humor existent on tracks like the infectious “Coffin” and “Only Good Weather”, which sounds like Canterbury pop created in the Upside Down. Jolly’s finest moment, however, is album closer “To Me”, which sounds like The Beach Boys’ Surfs Up crashing into MBV’s Loveless. There’s nowhere to go but up for this most unique rock band. –Ron Hart